Systems and methods for thermal management in wireless power transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969282-B2
Application number	US-201615081540-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2016
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

Invention described herein relates to wireless power transfer systems and methods that efficiently and safely transfer power to electronic devices. In an aspect of the invention, an apparatus for wirelessly receiving power is provided. The apparatus comprises a receiver circuit comprising a receiver coil configured to receive wireless power from a wireless power transmitter via a magnetic field sufficient to charge or power a load of the apparatus. The receiver circuit further comprises a ferrite material having a first side coupled to the receiver coil. The apparatus further comprises a first heat exchanger coupled to a second side of the ferrite material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power, the apparatus comprising:
a receiver circuit comprising:
a receiver coil having a first side and configured to receive wireless power via a magnetic field generated by a wireless power transmitter, the wireless power at a level sufficient to charge or power a load of the apparatus;
a ferrite material having a first side coupled to the first side of the receiver coil and a second side having a ferrite area; and
a first heat exchanger coupled to the second side of the ferrite material and configured to cool the receiver coil, the first heat exchanger having an exchanger area substantially equal to the ferrite area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is disposed within an area defined by the second side of the ferrite material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a metallic material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a cavity for guiding a flow of a cooling liquid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a plurality of metallic extensions disposed on the ferrite material substantially parallel to magnetic field lines of the magnetic field.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to the first heat exchanger disposed outside an area of the receiver circuit.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a metallic material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to and surrounding the first heat exchanger.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic circuit coupled to the first heat exchanger.

10. A method for wirelessly receiving power, the method comprising:
receiving, via a receiver circuit, wireless power via a magnetic field generated by a wireless power transmitter, the wireless power at a level sufficient to charge or power a wireless power receiver, the receiver circuit comprising a receiver coil having a first side and a ferrite material having a first side coupled to the first side of the receiver coil and a second side having a ferrite area; and
cooling the receiver circuit using a first heat exchanger coupled to the second side of the ferrite material and having an exchanger area substantially equal to the ferrite area.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first heat exchanger is disposed within an area defined by the second side of the ferrite material.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a metallic material.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a cavity for guiding a flow of a cooling liquid.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a plurality of metallic extensions disposed on the ferrite material substantially parallel to magnetic field lines of the magnetic field.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising cooling the receiver circuit using a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to the first heat exchanger disposed outside an area of the receiver circuit.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a metallic material.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising cooling the receiver circuit using a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to and surrounding the first heat exchanger.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a metallic material.

19. The method of claim 10 , further comprising placing an electronic circuit coupled to the first heat exchanger.

20. An apparatus for wirelessly receiving power, the apparatus comprising:
means for receiving wireless power from a wireless power transmitter via a magnetic field generated by a wireless power transmitter, the means for receiving having a first side and the wireless power at a level sufficient to charge or power a load of the apparatus;
a ferrite material having a first side coupled to the first side of the means for receiving and a second side having a ferrite area; and
first means for cooling the receiving means coupled to the second side of the ferrite material, the first means for cooling having an exchanger area substantially equal to the ferrite area.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first means for cooling is disposed within an area defined by the second side of the ferrite material.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first means for cooling comprises a metallic material.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first means for cooling comprises a cavity for guiding a flow of a cooling liquid.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the means for cooling comprises a plurality of metallic extensions disposed on the ferrite material substantially parallel to magnetic field lines of the magnetic field.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising a second means for cooling thermally coupled to the first means for cooling disposed outside an area of the means for receiving.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the second means for cooling comprises a metallic material.

27. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising a second means for cooling thermally coupled to and surrounding the first means for cooling.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the second means for cooling comprises a metallic material.

29. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising means for controlling wireless power transfer coupled to the first means for cooling.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Van Boheemen Edward
• Islinger Simon
• Weidner Felix
• Werner Michael

Classifications

• H02J50/70 Primary

  involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields · CPC title

• B60L53/38

  specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer · CPC title

• B60L53/36

  by positioning the vehicle · CPC title

• Y02T90/12

  Electric charging stations · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title